| An annual match was held in front of Kukimitama
Shrine 1 in the castle of Ayabe han on January 15, 1649.
Tachibana Genta Kiyosada, who was a teacher of Kenjutsu at Tatebayashi han
, was staying in Kyoto on orders and heard the news of the match, gave a
challenge. Because Tachibana was a master of Kurama Ryu, Ayabe han picked
out Hosoya Shinpachiro, the head teacher of Kukishin Ryu for the match. |
The
remnant of the main gate to Ayabe castle |
Kuki mitama shrine
(In the premises of Wakamiya Shrine in Ayabe city)
Kukimitama Shrine
|
Watched by a number of vassals, the two held a
wooden sword. It seemed to be an equal fight, when Hosoya brought down his
wooden sword from his head. Before on could say "Oh" Sagenta was
cut into half from head down to chest, with his body shedding blood. Every
one wondered how Hosoya could cut down a human body to the chest with a
wooden sword; it was hard to do so even with a real sword. They could not
ignore the death of the teacher from other han, because the Sakakibara
family, who governed the han, was a daimyo in hereditary vassalage to the
Tokugawas and admitted to use the family name Matsudaira. When they sent a
messenger right away to give a detailed account, Sakakibara answered "We
do not have such a vassal" in response. 2 Hosoya narrowly
escaped death, but Kukishin Ryu was forbidden to practice
after this incident, and never open to the public until the end of the Edo
period. 3 |
Wakamiya Shrine in Ayabe city
| [ Notes ] |
| 1 |
A shrine located at the foot of Mt. Hongu in the Edo period,
which was to the north of Ayabe castle. The shrine is consecrated to Kimon
Daikonjin, the deity worshiped by the Kuki family for generations. The
shrine, which has got worship of people, is now on the precincts of
Wakamiya Shrine in Ueno cho, Ayabe city. |
| 2 |
Presumably this should have been measures
for avoiding a disgrace to Tatebayashi han. |
| 3 |
After the incident, it became impossible to practice Kukishin
Ryu; it has remained in the form of art performances to deity in Ayabe. |
| 4 |
Kimura was really good at Taijutsu. He
usually went out without swords, and put enemies under control without
them. Later he called himself "Muto(without swords) Josuiken." |
| 5 |
According to Kuki Takaharu, it is said that the Kuki family
gave them "secret backing." Kuki Ryubi, the 25th head of the
Kukis is said to have learned the Kukishin Ryu handed down from Okuni
Kihei and it is not necessary the case that the Kukishin Ryu in Edo
regions was officially recognized as legitimate by the Kukis. |
|
